Overview
The seventh seal is opened and a half-hour silence follows (v.l). As the silence ends, John sees "seven angels who stand before God" being given "seven trumpets" (v.2). These seven angels haven't been mentioned as yet, but they are probably some kind of personification of the "seven spirits" before the throne in 1:4. They are given seven trumpets and each angel in turn blows his trumpet.
But before they blow their trumpets another angel appears. One author calls him "the angel of worship". He offers incense at the altar, and it ascends "with the prayers of the saints... before God" (v.4).
Here is what Lynn Harold Hough says about these events:
"It is remarkable that in the midst of all the rushing movement of the book of Revelation there is always time to set each particular experience in rich and noble perspective. The hour of worship has its own rights amid all the heavenly events. Even God's judgments are not apart from the saints. They include the prayers of the saints." (Interpreter's Bible Vol.12 p.426) Then the trumpet disasters begin. First come hail and fire (v.7). Then a burning mountain falls into the sea (v.8) followed by a blazing star falling on the fresh waters (v.10). The result is a badly scorched earth, and polluted sea and land waters. Then a fourth trumpet reduces all day and night light in the heavens by a third (v.12).
The chapter ends with an eagle warning about the disasters yet to follow (v.13). There are still three trumpets to be blown.
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